Rob pivoted from British food shops to coffee shops and completed two deals within two months of joining the programme — with more in the pipeline.

GUEST

Rob — Canada-based acquirer targeting independent coffee shops across Ontario and the US northeast.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Based in Canada, Rob initially planned to acquire British food shops serving the expat community before pivoting to independent coffee shops after listening to a podcast episode featuring John Richardson. Within two months of joining the Fast Track programme, he had signed heads of terms on two deals and had a third imminent. His story is a masterclass in following the process, staying disciplined on the 30-minute initial call, and understanding your own valuation logic before you walk into a negotiation.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

▸ Pivoting your target sector based on new information (such as a podcast) is smart, not indecisive.

▸ 750 letters generated five to six enquiries per day — and they were still coming in weeks later.

▸ Discipline on the 30-minute initial call is critical: it signals professionalism and filters out time-wasters on both sides.

▸ Know your valuation multiple before you enter any conversation — Rob uses 1–1.5x for standard sites and up to 3x for strategic locations.

▸ Sellers who can't produce financials rarely have a real business to sell.

▸ The lease is often more complex than the purchase agreement — always request it early, especially if there's a mortgage on the property.

DEAL HIGHLIGHT

Rob's first deal seller — who had run the coffee shop since 2005 — wanted to return to bookkeeping. Rob offered her a separate bookkeeping role across his growing portfolio, turning the acquisition into a long-term operational relationship.

"Stick to the process. Be confident. Do your homework. And be persistent."

Learn more: www.dealmakers.co.uk

John has bought three businesses in a year — including a hotel and golf club from administrators and a software company in six hours.

GUEST

John Graves — Serial acquirer with three deals in 12 months, specialising in distressed and administrator opportunities.

EPISODE SUMMARY

John's approach to acquisitions is defined by speed, volume and decisiveness. He signs NDAs daily and reviews at least five opportunities a week. His standout deals include a distressed hotel and golf club bought from administrators (with seven broken toilets on day one), which he refinanced within a week to pull most of his money back out; and a software company acquired in a six-hour process — at the price of a family car — alongside fellow mastermind member Steven.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

▸ Volume of deal flow is everything: signing an NDA every day means you can be highly selective about what you pursue.

▸ When you have too many inbound leads to handle well, switch off outbound marketing temporarily rather than give any deal poor attention.

▸ Administration deals move fast — offer on Wednesday, accepted Thursday, completed the following Thursday. Be credible and be ready.

▸ Buying assets (not shares) from an administrator means HMRC liabilities and other debts stay behind — you get the business free and clear.

▸ Leases are a hidden cash-flow trap: 10 separate equipment leases can become 10 monthly payments that compound and crush trading cash flow.

▸ Asset refinancing after acquisition can return most or all of your initial investment within days, freeing capital for the next deal.

DEAL HIGHLIGHT

The hotel and golf club: bought from administrators with an offer on day two, completed in seven days. Refinanced the assets within a week of completion and recovered most of the purchase price — then used that cash to complete a second deal within 30 days.

"Stop the procrastination and get those deals in — it's about volume and it's about mass marketing."

Learn more: www.dealmakers.co.uk

Jo's first acquisition — a freehold property plus a client book, funded entirely by the seller at 2% above base rate over 20 years — remains the most remarkable deal in this series.

GUEST

Jo — Founder of Bell's Accountants; has completed five acquisitions in the accountancy sector.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Jo started Bell's Accountants 13 years ago and quickly realised her job was to win business, not do the work. Her first acquisition happened by accident — a referral through a mutual contact led to a meeting with an elderly practice owner who wanted someone to look after his clients and team, not a big cheque. He offered to lend Jo the £500,000 consideration himself, repayable at 2% above base rate over 20 years, secured against the freehold property. To date she has completed five acquisitions, all low-risk, deferred structures.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

▸ Not all sellers want a lump sum — some simply want a trustworthy buyer who will look after their clients and staff, and a steady income stream.

▸ Seller financing — where the seller lends you the consideration — is a real and powerful mechanism, and can come with very favourable terms.

▸ Looking after the staff in an accountancy acquisition isn't just ethical — it's commercially essential, because the clients' loyalty belongs to the people, not the firm name.

▸ The buyer, not the seller, typically drives the process post-heads-of-terms: be ready to lead on timelines, TUPE, client communication and systems migration.

▸ Acquiring practices at a lower multiple, then digitalising and systematising them, increases the multiple at resale — the same logic as property renovation.

▸ Trust is the deal. In many owner-managed businesses, the seller won't proceed until they believe in the buyer as a person.

DEAL HIGHLIGHT

A freehold property plus accounting practice, total consideration £500,000, funded 100% by the seller at 2% above base rate, repayable over 20 years — with the seller contractually preventing early repayment because he wanted the monthly income, not a lump sum.

"He said: would you mind if you effectively borrowed the money from me? Rather than going to the bank, just pay me off over the next 20 years."

Learn more: www.dealmakers.co.uk